Approximately 750,000 people took part today in the levayah of Maran Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l at a huge levayah the likes of which had never been seen before in Israel.

Aerial footage of the levayah showed enormous throngs of Yidden filling Bnei Brak’s narrow streets for blocks around the Sar HaTorah‘s home and far beyond.

The levayah procession began at 12:00 noon, from the home of Rav Chaim at 23 Rechov Rashbam, with Tehillim recited by Rav Moshe Smutni and Selichos led by Rav Moshe Chaim Boyer.

Hespeidim were delivered by Rav Gershon Edelstein, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh; Rav Chaim’s brother-in-law, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein; and Rav Chaim’s son, Rav Shlomo Kanievsky, Rosh Yeshivas Kiryas Melech.

At the end of the levayah, Rav Smutani crowned Rav Chaim’s son, Rav Yitzchak Shaul Kanievsky, as the mara d’asra of the Lederman Shul.

The levayah ended with the recitation of Kaddish by Rav Chaim’s son, Rav Avraham Yeshayahu Kanievsky. From there, the procession left to the Shomrei Shabbos-Zichron Meir bais hachaim in the city.

Rav Edelstein, who was brief in his remarks, said that we are now a “dor ani and a dor yasom,” and impoverished generation and an orphaned generation with the passing o Rav Chaim. “We were all affected by him, and all asked him for tefillos and brachos.”

Rav Zilberstein, in his hesped, told the famous story about the grasshoppers. Rav Chaim was learning Maseches Chullin and a sugyah relating to chagovim, grasshoppers. Rav Chaim realized that he needed to see a grasshopper to better understand the Gemara – apparently he had never seen a live grasshopper before – and asked his daughter to bring him one. She tried, but reported to her father that she failed to find one. He went back to the sugyah, and lo and behold, a grasshopper came hopping through the window, landing on his Gemara. After examining it, he let it go. As he continued through the sugyah, he realized that he needed to study the hind legs a bit more, but the grasshopper was long gone. Before closing his Gemara, a second grasshopper hopped in and on to his Gemara, giving him the ability to study its hind leg in detail.

“This was a person who weighed as much as the rest of the nation,” said Rav Zilberstein. “Hakadosh Boruch Hu took the man who weighed as much as all the people in order to atone for Klal Yisroel.”

Rav Shlomo Kanievsky said that Rav Chaim was “unparalleled in his generation” and called on everyone to dedicate themselves to limud haTorah to perpetuate Rav Chaim’s legacy.

Police blocked entry to the cemetery to members of the public, allowing only those close to Mishpachas Kanievsky and certain public figures to attend the kevurah over fears of overcrowding.

The family members did not go to the bais hachaim, as per the custom of the Steipler.

Police deployed some 3,000 officers to the event to maintain order, and boruch Hashem there were no serious incidents. Several dozen people were treated for various issues, but nothing of a critical nature, bechasdei Hashem.

Israel’s Communications Ministry said before the levayah that it was expecting cellular network outages in around the levayah due to high volume, and advised people to only make essential calls.

{Matzav.com Israel}